Cousins

Part 3

"Congrats" -Yin said to War. He been admitted into the swimming team. Yin wanted to hug him but many people were around. Also the swimming team and he didn't want to embarrass War. Bar, the captain of the swimming team, has always teased Yin with War which makes them a little uncomfortable.

"Thank you" -War said drying his hair.

"I called the library the other day and Mrs. Yonnie told me that they will be showing two horror films" -War said smiling but Yin was silent.

Fluke found a big library on the city. It was full of books and movies, Yin fell in love with it. On Yin's seventh birthday, Fluke took both of them. It turned out to be the birthday of the library too. There was a celebration where they showed movies in a big room with a projector. Since then every year on Yin birthday they would go together. Mrs. Yonnie was the owner of the library. She would always gift Yin cookies because of his birthday and the library's birthday. She like Yin and War very much.

"what?" -War asked after Yin wouldn't answer.

"Actually I want to do something else" -Yin said.

"Yeah? What?" -War said confused but curious.

"My friends want to go to the beach" -Yin said.

"Oh" -War said. He was expecting it would be something they could do together. Yin never spent a birthday without him.

"That's great. Have fun then" -War said picking up his other towel and walking to the locker room to change.

"You can go too if you want" -Yin said standing in front of him.

"Its ok. Go have fun with your friends" -War said. Yin told him he could go but it didn't sound like an invitation.

War changed to his clothes. He was a little sad. It would be weird not to spend Yin's birthday together at the library. War guess Yin got tired of it and prefers to spend time with his friends.

"Can you pick me up now?" -War called Earth. Kao and Earth couldn't make it to the tryout because they had a meeting.

"Yin is not taking you home?" -Earth asked. Yin had his own driver. He would always take War home or War would have his own driver. Today for tryouts, Earth dropped War off since Yin was already in school for practice.

"No" -War said. It was Monday but they didn't have class yet until the next day. Tryouts for sports were held last week and monday.

"Ok. I'll be there soon" -Earth said.

War left the locker room. He saw Yin talking to Bar and some other friends. He looks different with them. He walked out of the swimming pool area to wait for Earth outside.

"Hey, are you ready?" -Yin said walking near him.

"Yeah. My dad is picking me up" -War said looking at his phone.

"I can take you" -Yin said but War didn't answer.

"Don't be mad" -Yin said which made War turn around.

"Why would I be mad?" -War said and Yin didn't know what to answer.

Earth's car stopped in front of them. The driver opened Earth's window.

"Hey. Do you need a ride?" -Earth asked Yin. War got in the car.

"No thanks" -Yin said.

"Ok. Bye then. Get home safe" -Earth said. They drove off.

"Congrats baby" -Earth said to War. He gave him a dinosaur cookie in a small plastic bag with a ribbon. War smiled.

"Thank you dad" -War said.
———————